1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal using an audio channel. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for connecting with Bluetooth devices in a terminal using an audio channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bluetooth, one of technologies for performing a local wireless communication, realizes communication between terminals existing within a short range of each other and between a terminal and a Bluetooth device, using an Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band of 2.4 GHz. For example, a portable terminal can provide a variety of services using the Bluetooth technology, such as a wireless headset, printing, file transmission, etc.
In a terminal having a telephone call function such as a portable phone, the Bluetooth technology is most widely used to realize a hands-free device. Conventionally, a Bluetooth hands-free device used in a portable phone has audio characteristics to support a telephone call. Accordingly, the Bluetooth hands-free device is allocated an audio channel. In other words, upon connection with the Bluetooth hands-free device, the portable phone has to allocate the audio channel. Because of this, the portable phone cannot simultaneously connect with a plurality of Bluetooth hands-free devices.
In recent years, a Bluetooth hands-free device for the purpose of only a control of a host terminal without audio characteristics has been developed. For example, in a portable phone, a user can remotely control a function of transmission/reception of a short message of a host terminal, a phonebook, etc., through a Bluetooth hands-free device for the purpose of control (i.e. a non-audio Bluetooth hands-free device). Thus, the non-audio Bluetooth hands-free device does not occupy an audio channel. That is, if the non-audio Bluetooth hands-free device is connected, it is in a state where the audio channel is not allocated. However, because a host terminal cannot simultaneously connect with a plurality of Bluetooth hands-free devices, the host terminal cannot connect with a different audio Bluetooth hands-free device. That is, there is a problem that, if a non-audio Bluetooth hands-free device is connected, despite that an audio channel is in a non-occupied state, a user cannot use a different audio Bluetooth hands-free device, and has to directly make a call using a host device.